A FIREFIGHTER who was injured in a road crash that claimed the lives of Garda Brian Kelleher and fireman Michael Liston has described seeing the two men propelled into the air after being struck by a car at Barrigone, Askeaton, Co Limerick last year.
Eddie Murphy was giving evidence in the trial of Niall Shannon (20) Lenamore, Ballylongford, Kerry, who denies a charge of dangerous driving causing the deaths of the two men at Barrigone, on February 25th 2007. He also denies driving while over the legal alcohol limit and two charges of driving with excessively-worn tyres.
Mr Murphy, a colleague of Michael Liston and based at Foynes Fire Station, told Limerick Circuit Court that Garda Kelleher and Mr Liston had been "messing and joking and talking like they normally do". They were attending the scene of a road crash on the N69 between Askeaton and Foynes around 4.20am. "I had intended on joining them but for some reason I stopped to look into a field as it was getting light. We are always told to be aware of our surroundings." He heard a bang and then a second bang.
"'I looked up and saw Brian and Mike getting struck by a car and getting propelled through the air," he said.
Mr Murphy said the car was then coming straight for him and he attempted to get out of the way by climbing a wall. "I got a belt of something. I thought it was the car, but then I realised it was Michael Liston who had come flying through the air."
He described landing with one of his arms on top of Mike with the car to his right hand side. He suffered injuries to his knee, shoulder and foot.
Earlier, firefighter Sabrina McCarthy said that shortly after 5am she was reaching into a fire engine to retrieve a radio for a colleague when a car struck the open door of the vehicle.
She told the jury she looked through the windscreen and saw a fluorescent high-visibility jacket in the air. "I saw a body in the air, it was moving," she said.
The witness added that she later saw Garda Kelleher lying on the road some distance away, while Mike Liston had landed on a wall with Eddie Murphy lying near by. "I started roaring for an ambulance. Eddie was awake. There was no response from Michael," said Ms McCarthy.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis said Garda Kelleher (46) suffered "multiple blunt force trauma injuries" to his abdomen and chest and lacerations to his scalp as well as other severe internal injuries.
He said Michael Liston (47) sustained severe injuries to his head, neck, chest and limbs.
His neck was broken and he had a broken collarbone and breastbone. He also sustained multiple rib fractures and considerable bruising to his chest wall.
Dr Curtis said both men's "multiple catastrophic injuries" were consistent with a high speed vehicular impact."
The trial continues before Judge Carroll Moran and a jury.